Just Red
by Red Sova
Summary: It was cold and wet, so very cold. He struggled trying to reach the surface but kept sinking further into the icy abyss...
1. Chapter 1

_It was cold and wet, so very cold. He struggled trying to reach the surface but kept sinking further into the icy abyss. He was frightened, more so then he had ever been before, as he sunk further and his lungs burned. He couldn't hold his breath anymore and desperately gasped for oxygen that wasn't there. Water instinctly flooded into his mouth and lungs, suffocating him. Slowly his struggles began to lessen as his vision darkened. Finally they stopped all together. His last conscious thought was a plea for someone, anyone, to help._

**_-Central Park, New York 1919-_**

Francis Squirrel sighed as he dashed through the city park, trying to find something to distract himself from his recent loss and new found loneliness. It wasn't easy as everywhere he looked he saw families happily doing something togrthrr that caused a great pain in his heart. Everything was a constant reminder that he had once had a family and lost it all:

His mother, his father, his little sister- all lost to a freak storm that had shown up out of nowhere leaving him all alone.

Sighing, he leaned against a tree and looked to the starry night sky. Hi a parents had once told him that there was a Wishing Star up there and that if he ever found it and made a wish on it, his wish would come true. Wo he came out here every night and made the same wish on different stars, praying that maybe that star would finally be the Wishing Star he was searching for. Picking a star, Francis closed his eyes and made his wish:

'I wish... I wish for a family of my own.'

He kept his eyes closed for a moment half afraid to open them before finally daring to do so...

Nothing.

The field was empty as it had been when he entered. Shudders slumped, Francis had just turned to leave when a brightly flash shined from behind him. Quickly he spun on his heels and his hazel eyes widened. There, just five feet away was a soaking wet red squirrel kit that had not been there just a second ago.

At first he stood there frozen in shock before his mind finally kicked in and rushed to the lot's side. For the first time in a long time, hope filled Francis as he picked up the unconcerned kit before glancing to the sky. It seemed he finally found the Wishing Star. Smiling as the kit snuggles into his chest fur, Francis sent out a silent 'Thank you' before rushing back to his home.

* * *

><p>For the first time in his short life the boy who only knew himself as 'Freak' woke up feeling warm and safe with no one yelling at him or banging on his cupboard's door. Die he die? If so, Freak didn't think He minded dying that much. It felt nice actually. He just wanted to lay there all day in the foreign feeling of safety, but he knew he couldn't. What if he wasn't dead? Slowly, Freak opened his eyes and glanced up.<p>

Francis stopped humming the moment he noticed Amber eyes watching him but kept the kit firmly wrapped in his arms. He smiled at the kit, who was watching him closely with a weary tension.

"Good morning, Kit. Sleep well?"

The kit slowly nodded, eyes watching him with extreme caution that Francis couldn't help but notice. It was almost as if the kit expected to be attacked. He put on a friendly smile, trying to show the kit he meant no harm.

"That's good. Got a name, Kit?"

The kit spoke in a soft, almost unhearable, but Francis still heard the young squirrel's reply and felt his blood go cold.

"Freak."

An icy feeling filled Francis as a thought hit him, a thought he'd rather not even think. Licking his lips he kept his voice friendly, hiding his ever growing dread.

"And who calls you that, Kit?"

"Auntie and Uncle."

Francis' grip tightened a bit on the kit. He had hoped his assumption was wrong but apparently not. It seemed his Wishing Star had brought him a family member that would no doubt need him almost as much as he needed the kit.

"Well that won't do. How about I give you a real name?"

The kit stared him in the eyes for a moment before slowly nodding. Francis hummed in thought.

Alex-? No, it didn't seem right.

Xander?- No, it didn't seem right.

Francis? -No, that would just be confusing for the both of them.

...Maybe... Francis eyed the kit closely be fire nodding. It was perfect.

"How about Red?"

"Red," the kit repeated the word a few times be fire smiling softly and nodding.

Francis smiled.

"Red it is then. Well Red, I'm your new Brother: Francis Squirrel, but just call me Francis or Brother."

The kit's eyes widened before smiling brightly.

"I always wanted a Brother." The kit spoke softly.

"Me too, Red. Me too."


	2. Chapter 2

**-Central Park, New York 1923-**

**"Red, what do you think you're doing?!"**

Red flinched at his Brother's whispered shout, hand still outstretched for the sleeping hawk's tail feathers. He had been so close. He still was. Maybe he could just...

**"Red, don't you dare lay a finger on that hawk! Get that bushy tail of yours out of that tree and down here this minute!"**

Red nervously glanced to his Brother, who he was half certain was a mind reader of some sort, then back to the hawk. He glanced back Down at Francis, who had crossed his arms over his chest and was giving Red his best 'Do as I say or else' look. Sighing, Red lowered his hand and began to make his way down the tree causing Francis to smirk. Next time, he would get the feather for sure.

Francis was still smirking when Red landed on the ground next to him causing the younger squirrel to scowl at his brother. Francis didn't even seem to notice as he pointed to the trees that was their home, shoulders slumped The young kit made his way back inside with his Brother right behind him. Red was certain, without a doubt, that he would've getting another of his Brother's long lectures.

* * *

><p>Francis sighed as he watched Red sulk in a corner of their home, face half buried in his bushy red tail. He loved his little brother a lot, but at times he wished Red would just be a little more like other squirrels, at least then he wouldn't have to worry about whatever death defying stunt his Little Brother was up to when he wasn't around. It was like Red didn't have the self-preserving instincts that every other animal had and that worried Francis as he was certain that unless Red fount those instincts, his brother wouldn't reach adulthood.<p>

* * *

><p>Red was bored as he followed Francis around the park, listening to his brother speak as he pointed at different things.<p>

"This Red is a Hawk. When you see a hawk you run. You don't try pulling out their tail feathers. Hawks eat squirrels and you're a squirrel so you run or you get eaten..."

Red sighed, he knew this already, but he just didn't see why he had to be afraid of a hawk. Red was certain he could get the feather and outrun the hawk, but Francis refused to even consider the idea. You would think after two years his Brother would be used to it, but apparently not as the squirrel was dragging Red around determined to make the lesson stick.

* * *

><p>"Mark, Set-"<p>

Francis raced ahead causing Red to scowls he raced after his brother.

"No fair, Francis! That's cheating!"

Francis just laughed as he reached towards the park bench, Red rapidly catching up. Francis reached out to touch the bench. When...

Bang!

A large metal cage fell over the two squirrels. Red instantly skidded to a stop as Francis brought his injured arm to his chest. Two human males walked into sight, talking to each other about:

Fast, last two, experiments and Russia.

For some reason a sinking feeling filled Red as the cage holding him and Francis was picked up and thrown into the back of a van.


	3. Chapter 3

**-Russian Lab 1926-**

Red sat huddled in the corner of his cage, his face burried in his bushy tail. The one eyed monkey hadn't been joking when he had welcomed Red to Hell ad the squirrel was certain that was what this place truly was. Almost every day he was in in some sort of pain as some human scientist watched him for hours at a time. Sometimes the pain wasn't much and Red found he could Ingore it if he focused on something else and other times...

... Other times it was excruciating. Like the time they tore out his eye and put that monstrosity in its place. And then there was the mental pain that had consumed him when Francis was killed only hours after blithely tore out livid eye.

Hatred, unlike any Red had felt before; begin to burn inside him directed solely at the Humans. He wanted them to suffer, to be consumed by the agonizing pain that filled him. He wanted revenge against Mankind as a whole. And he was determined to survive so that one day he could have his revenge.

**-1928-**

The lab was on fire as mice freed everyone. They were strangely brave for mice but Red didn't feel as if he had any reason to call the kettle black. He wasn't exactly a normal squirrel after all. He followed one if the mice out and watched in deep satisfaction as the lab burned and humans rushed around.

* * *

><p>Red stared at The Count, unflinching as the owl stood its full height, looming over him with a predatory glaze. He wasn't afraid; he didn't have a reason to be. They both wanted something similar after all, The Count a protege and Red...<p>

Red wanted someone to help guide him until he was ready to go out alone. Someone who couple teach him and who better then Penguin Enemy Number One: Count Victor von Sova? Finally the Count lowered himself so that sharp golden eyes stared into Red's lone Amber eye.

"I am Count Victor von Sova and you are? "

"Red. Just Red."

The Count smirked.

"Well then Red, come along. We have work to do."

Red smirked and followed the Mad Owl without a moment's hesitation. Unknown to either of them, that one action would change plans that had yet to be made concerning a world Neither of them knew existed at that time.

Just as neither of them knew that somewhere in England, Charles Potter had just married Dora Potter nee Black.


	4. Chapter 4

-1929-

The Count smirked as he watched his protege work in the lab, having managed to somehow forgotten about the outside world. Despite being young, maybe six or seven in human terms: Red was a smart kit. Something he honestly didn't expect from a squirrel, he had at first thought the ket would be like any other squirrel but he was soon proven wrong. The boy was smart and curious about most things; he soaked in knowledge like a sponge and was willing to take chances for such knowlegde. Something proven by the multiple hawk tail feathers and wolf teeth the boy had.

The kit was also very fast when needed, something that would no doubt help his protege when the Penguins finally noticed the hidden diamond he had found among a species of lump coal.

Part of him was quiet thankful to the human scientists, as if not for them he never would have found the kit and for the seed of hatred at human kind they had planted within the boy. A seed the Count fully intended to nature until the kit was ready to take on his legacy as Penguin Enemy Number One.

Seeming to notice someone watching him, the kit turned and stared the Count directly in the eyes.

* * *

><p>Red ducked under the Count's wings, avoiding the punch aimed for his face. Spinning on heel, his leg lashed out to knock the Count's legs from under him but the owl took to the sky causing Red to scowl as his mind already worked on a way to bring the Mad Owl back to Earth.<p>

"Is that all?"

The Count asked tauntingly. Red didn't bite the bait though; he knew what the Count was trying to do and refused to fall for such a tatic. His eye took in the room before he smirked.

"Not at all."

Rushing at a wall, Red used it to push himself off the ground before grabbing onto a hanging rope, using the sudden body mometum to swing it at the Count, aiming his foot for the owl's face. Yet once again the Count managed to avoid the attack and swooped in at Red, talons aiming for the squirrel's face. Red quickly wrapped his legs tightly around the rope and let go causing him to hang upside down and for the Count to miss.

"You're getting better."

Red grinned at the Mad Owl as he straightened back on the rope.

"I have a good teacher."

Pushing off the rope he grabbed the Count managing to wrap his arms around the avian, pining his wings to his side and causing them both to rapidly fall to the ground. The Count struggled as Red held firmly. They were almost to the ground when the Count managed to free his wings and at the same time knock Red away.

A talon grabbed the squirrel's leg only seconds before he was to hit the ground. He could hear the Count chuckling as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"True. You still have much to learn though."

The Count couldn't help but chuckle as he dropped his protege, who managed to get his feet underneath him in time to land safely on them. It wasn't that bad of a fight considering Red was still a child of not even nine summers.


	5. Chapter 5

Red stared at the penguin in amusement as he watched the flightless bird blush as the bird's emerald eyes followed Red's tail while it swayed behind him. He almost laughed when the bird fell for his fake crying act and happily ate the drugged muffin without a second thought. Part of Red wondered if all Penguins were that naïve but quickly brushed the thought away as the Penguin hit the ground.

Sighing, Red pulled out his eye patch and slide in over his closed eye. He saw horror and recognition flash in those emerald eyes right before the drug fully kicked in and the bird fell unconscious. He wasted no time in tying the bird up and dragging the Penguin, who looked around his age, to where the Count was waiting.

* * *

><p>Nigel blushed as Agent Dylan stared at him and the squirrel standing near him in surprise.<p>

"Don't be so surprised Dylan. My Protégé is just better than yours it seems."

The Mad Owl was obviously quite proud of the squirrel- Red- if Nigel remembered correctly from their brief conversation- as he shot the squirrel a look that usually was given by a proud parent.

Agent Dylan looked a the squirrel in horror and utter disbelief.

**_"Protégé?!"_**

The Count smirked, his golden eyes shining.

"That's right, I haven't told you yet. Agent Dylan allow me to introduce my Protégé and Son, Red."

Nigel was pretty sure he was mimicking Dylan's look of shock as he stared at the squirrel in disbelief.

This beautiful creature was the Count's Son?

The Count had a son?

Red noticing their looks smirked and gave a mock bow that had the Count chuckling fondly.

_**"Son?!"**_

"Yes, Red takes more after his mother in looks but has a mindset similar to my own."

* * *

><p>Red had to keep himself form laughing as the two Penguins stared closer at him, no doubt just now noticing the gold in his eye. He couldn't explain how that had happened, but there had been a blinding flash after the Count adopted him and when it disappeared Red's eye had changed form amber to a gold-ish-amber that now held more gold then amber to them.<p>

They were still keeping an eye open for any other changes.

* * *

><p>They got away.<p>

Nigel was frustrated about it but Agent Dylan didn't seem to mind that much saying that the Count always managed to escape at the last minute and they would get him one day. It wasn't the Count that was on Nigel's mind though; it was rather his son, Red.

No matter how much he tried, Nigel just couldn't seem to get the squirrel out of his mind.

His voice, his smile, that smirk, the burning fire in that lone eye, and the unique way his tail moved.

He didn't care about the Count, but he wanted to meet Red again and maybe this time he wouldn't make a complete and utter fool out of himself. He didn't know why but he felt like he had to prove himself to the squirrel.

He desperately wanted Red's acknowledgement and he fully intended to get it.


	6. Chapter 6

Red considereed himself a scientific type o f squirrel. Logic was very important to him and the Count in their line of work. So when strange things begin to happpen around him, Red found himself utterly befuddled as he could find no lgical explansion for it. There was no logic and no rythm. It defied all Laws of Physics, Nature, ectra...

Still it did have its uses and Red, having given up on trying to find any reason to it, found himself accepting the ...Strangeness...as another part of him. A part he only used wheen there was no other option, no other choice.

He knew better then to rely oslely on it, as who knew when one day, it wouldn't respond.

The Count knew Red was different from other squirrels but this was something else entirely. The young squirrel was meditating; something that was pretty common as a calm mind was necesssary for their line of work, what was not normal though was that the squirrel was meditating six feet off the ground with nothing- not even thin wires- holding him up.

It was logically impossible yet The Count couldn't deny his own sharp eye. The irony of it all was that Red didn't even seem to notice. As the moment the Count cleared his throat to draw the squirrel's attention, Red opened his lone eye, made a surpised noise and fell to the ground with a solid **_THUD_** and a groan.

"Ow."

* * *

><p>After that The Count found himself a new hobby, testing the limits fo Red's new found gift, much to Red's annoyance. He really didn't mind half the time as it was only small things bt he firmly drew the line when the Count threw him off a bridge.<p>

One moment he had been falling to what no doubt would be his death, either by impact or drowning, then there had been a loud _'Crack'_ and Red suddenly fount himself safely on the bridge, next to a grinning Count, who was looking over the railing.

Without a second thought or regret, Red pushed the Mad Owl over the edge and watched in open amusement as the avian managed to stop his fall and take flight only inches about the water.

Of course the Count didn't find I so funny when he was the one free falling and instantly went after the laughing squirrel. Yet right before the Count could reach him and no doubt tear him a new one, Red vanished with a Crack, only to reappear safely back in his bedroom at the Count's current base.

* * *

><p>The Count on the other hand, stayed three nights in the park, trying and failing to find the red squirrel that was his adoptive son. Later, he would discover that Red had been at the base the whole time and find himself having to resist the urge to devour one of he Mice and his adoptive son in his frustration.<p>

Said Mice avoided the Mad Owl like a plague the moment they noticed his twitching eye, what was a sure sign that one of them would be that night's dinner.

As for Red, Well...

He was far too used to his Father's sudden change in moods to let it bother him.


	7. Chapter 7

Red had always suspected that The Count and his Arch Nemesis, Agent Dylan of PMI6, were much more than Super Spy and Super Villian. Though neither of them came out and said anything. No doubt trying to be secrective about the whole matter...

They weren't very good at it as everytime they faught they tended to make more contact then neccessary and would linger for a moment too long before parting. It was so obvious Red was certain that even Nigel Could tell the two were in a relationship. He glanced over at his own Nemesis, to find emerald eyes locked solely on him. Somehow managing to once ignore the two...

Again.

So it was possible that he didn't know just yet.

Red sighed as the British Spy-To-Be rushed him before easily managing to avoid Nigel by stepping to the side. Red shook his head as the young penguin ran into the wall that had been behind him.

One day Nigel was going to learn not to rush him.. Red sidestepped to the side once again and sighed as Nigel run directly into the railing...Hopefully.

* * *

><p>Red was exaughsted as he dragged his feet towards his bedroom. It had been another busy day and now that it was over all he wanted to was to crawl into his bed and get some rest. He pushed open his bedroom door and froze as two heads swirled his way.<p>

Both Penguin and Owl looked guilty and surprised as they registered his presences and Red easily spots the nervous look in the Count's golden eyes. For the longest of time the three just stare until Red's brain finally kicks in and he rediscovers his voice.

"I...I'll go sleep somewhere else tonight...Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Red."

The Count called as the squirrel exited the room and softly shut the door behind him. Red stands in the dim hallway for a moment with only a single thought running through his mind.

Now what?

* * *

><p>Nigel had to admit that the last thing he expected to see at Two A.M. was his Arch-Nemesis on his doorstep asking to stay the night. Yet there Red was, looking as if he was dead on his feet and about to just fall over and sleep right then and there in the snow.<p>

Part of Nigel wanted to say no but a larger part of him wanted to invite the Russian inside. It wasn't everyday that Red showed up like this asking to stay with him.

Not the Count.

Not Dylan.

Not The Mice.

And Not that damn squirrel just down the street but Him.

After a moment, Nigel moved to the side and hurried Red inside before the Russian Villain could change his mind.

* * *

><p>Red was quiet aware that Nigel had lied about the spare bedroom being Agent Dylan's but was far too tired to care, let alone argue about it.<p>

The young Penguin probably wanted to keep a close eye on him anyway since they were enemies and all that.

Either way Red didn't care, at least he had a place to sleep for the night without having to worry about someone trying to jump his bones while he slept.

Who cared if he had to share?

* * *

><p>Red it turns out was a quiet sleeper who cuddled in his sleep, much to Nigel's embarrassment, The Russian Squirrel latched onto him.<p>

It wasn't that bad actually it was soft and warm, something he honestly didn't expect the squirrel to ever be to anyone, let alone to him.

Still he wasn't complaining. Who didn't like a warm body pressed to their own on an icy winter night?

Epically if that body belonged to your secret crush.

Smiling, Nigel wrapped his arms around the villain's waist, sending a metal 'Thank You' to whatever forces had drove Red there before drifting into a peaceful sleep.


End file.
